


Unexpected Affection

by Tormented_Gale



Category: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-24
Updated: 2014-10-24
Packaged: 2018-02-22 09:41:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2503226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tormented_Gale/pseuds/Tormented_Gale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Asch realizes that sometimes things do work out.</p><p>Tumblr Prompt: Unpopular ship of your choice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unexpected Affection

If someone had asked him ‘What do you think you’ll be doing in ten years?’, Asch would not have answered ‘Training to be a liger tamer’. It hadn’t exactly been on his list of ‘must do’ things, particularly because he didn’t think he’d have the time or lifespan to do them, but meeting Noir had changed his limited perspective.

The ligers were beautiful, deadly animals, but intelligent enough to have their own language. He was quickly learning that just a few words in the human tongue were understandable, and directions could be given without resorting to grunting and roaring. That only seemed to make the liger less likely to do work anyway.

He wiped his forehead on his sleeve and paused - the liger was just laying on its back snacking on a huge chunk of meat anyway. His clothing was almost laughably colorful - reds and whites and grays and blacks and purples and golds - but he liked it far more than the noble clothing he used to wear. This was comfortable, moved with him like a second skin, and let him perform his daring ‘sword attacks’ against the fearsome liger in the ring.

His attraction was the newest and best money maker the Isle had ever seen.

Noir claimed it was a different kind of attraction that drew the crowd.

They spoke of times long gone when it was just the two of them in a crowded little room that was all theirs. When she was wrapped in his arms, her head resting on his chest, his hand gently brushing up and down her bare back, they spoke at length about the serious and the trivial, the painful and the joyful, and for the first time in years, he felt content.

"Get your ass moving in there!"

Except for when she did that.

"The liger’s eating," he snapped back and gestured at the huge cat pawing at its dinner. Sometimes he thought they were more like house cats than actual monsters. Then he remembered the arm-rending fangs and shook his head at his own stupidity.

"Well, make it hurry up! I want that new trick you’ve got in mind ready for the next show!"

Noir stood just out of reach by the bars, her hands on her hips and her mischievous smile in place. Her hat was cocked perfectly on her head, matching the curl of her lips and the raise of her eyebrow.

"That performance is in three hours!" Asch protested, walking towards the bars and glaring at her. Noir ticked her finger back and forth and tsked at him.

"I told you you should’ve been practicing this weeks ago," she said.

"It’s not going to be ready."

"It better be or I’m kicking you off the Isle."

"You wouldn’t do that." Asch smirked; he knew her better than that.

"Fine, I’ll make you take care of  _all_ the kids on the Isle, and call up Luke to have him come by with his friends to watch. They’ve been asking about braiding your long hair, by the way.”

The confidence drained out of Asch’s face. Noir stepped up to the bars, grabbed his coat by the lapels, and pulled him forward so she could press a soft kiss to his lips.

"Thinking leaving the isle might be better?" she murmured.

Asch groaned, but he shook his head.

"No… I don’t think I’d ever hear the end of that either."

_Besides… I’m happy with you._


End file.
